Monday, July 19, 2010

Amanuensis Monday - Josiah Sawtell 1804 NH Deed

Genea-blogger John Newmark (who writes the excellent TransylvanianDutch blog) started his own Monday blog theme many months ago called Amanuensis Monday. What does "amanuensis" mean? John offers this definition:

"A person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another."

My subject today is a land deed found last week by Martin Hollick, and sent to me via email in an intentional act of genealogical kindness! Martin writes the excellent The Slovak Yankee blog.

In the deed, Josiah "Sawtel" of "Townshend" in Middlesex County, Massachusetts sold a plot of 20 acres of land in Brookline in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire to Samuel Hale of Pepperrell (in Middlesex County, Massachusetts) for the sum of $160.86 on 20 February 1804. The deed was recorded on 21 Februaryu 1804, and is in the Hillsborough County [New Hampshire] Deed Records, Volume 61, Page 114-115. The deed reads:

"Sawtel to Hale [in margin]

"Know all men by these presents that I Josiah Sawtel of Townshend in the county of Middlesex and commonwealth of Massachusetts husbandman that for the consideration of one hundred and sixty dollars and eighty six cents to me in hand paid by Samuel Hale of Pepperill in county and commonwealth aforesaid merchant The receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge do hereby give grant sell and convey to the said Samuel a certain piece of land situated in the southwesterly part of Brookline in the county of Hillsborough and state of New hampshire containing about twenty acres be the same more or less bounded as follows (viz.) beginning at the northwesterly corner of the premises at the south west corner of Samuel Russels land in the east line of the corner of Mason thence southerly on said Mason Line about fifty three rods to land of Nathaniel Patten thence easterly by said Pattens land about fifty rods to the road thence northerly by said road to said Russels land thence west about fourty rods to said Russels land to the place of beginning

"To have and to hold the same with all the privileges and appurtenances thereto belonging to him the said Samuel his heirs and assigns forever and I the said Josiah Sawtell do for myself my heirs executors and administrators covenant with the said Samuel his heirs executors and administrators that I am lawfully seized of the above granted premises in fee simple and that the[y] are free of all incumbrances and that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Samuel in manner aforesaid and that [I] and my heirs executors and administrators will warrant and defend the same to the said Samuel his heirs and assigns against the lawful claims and demands of all persons forever. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal together with my wife as a token of her relinquishing her right of Dower and power of thirds in the premises this twentieth day of February in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and Four Signed sealed and delivered in presence of
Shobal C. Allen .............................................. Josiah Sawtel {seal}
Jno. Barnard ................................................ Hannah Sawtel {seal}
Middlesex Ss Feb'y 20th 1804.

"Personally appeared the within named Josiah Sawtell and acknowledged the within instrument by him subscribed to be his fee act and deed before me -- Daniel Adams Just peace

"Rec.d & recorded 21 Feb'y 45 min. past 6 O'Clock A.M. 1804 & exam.d by Isaac Brooks, Reg.r"

Josiah must have been in a hurry to sell this land - the deed was written on 20 February 1804 and he appeared at 6:45 AM the next morning to register the deed with the Clerk.

This plot of land was right up against the town line of Mason, which is just to the west of Brookline town. So now I have a location, and need to check for additional deeds for Josiah Sawtell - both in the Grantor and Grantee indexes - in hopes that they will shed more light on the records of Josiah and Hannah (Smith) Sawtell.

These land records are also available on microfilm through the LDS Family History Library Catalog. Volume 61 of the Hillsborough County Deed Records (1771-1901) is on FHL Microfilm 0,015,961. I could check the Deed Index for Sawtell and Smith in the Grantee Index, S-Z 1771-1849 (FHL Microfilm 0,015,926) and Grantor Index S-Z 1771-1849 (FHL Microfilm 0,015,917).

Since the deed register starts in 1771, there may be earlier deeds for the Hillsborough County area in records for New Hampshire Colony, since Hillsborough County was created in 1771 from Colonial lands.

Martin apparently saw my Surname Saturday post about my SMITH family of New Hampshire from 11 July, and tried to help me find records for the family. He noted that he looked in the microfilms at NEHGS in hopes that Josiah Sawtell sold land that was formerly the property of Hannah (Smith) Sawtell's parents. It wasn't, but that's the breaks, as they say. Thank you, Martin Hollick!

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